Students earn Outstanding Delegation at Model Arab League Competition

“Student delegates are expected to assume the ideas and attitudes of their Arab country,” said Natalie Zink ‘14, a Gettysburg College student who participated in the November Model Arab League (MAL) event, which is sponsored by the National Council on U.S. – Arab Relations. "Students must be well prepared on the issues" in order to represent nations effectively at the event.

The Outstanding Delegation award was notable because the Gettysburg students chose to represent Djibouti. “It’s the first time a delegation representing Djibouti has ever won any of the MALs,” said Gettysburg College Prof. Amy Evrard, coordinator of the Middle East and Islamic Studies program and advisor to the MAL student delegation. “Djibouti is a small country that has very little power of persuasion in the Arab League and many delegations don't wish to take it on. Our team was excited to represent Djibouti as a kind of wild card that would allow them to be creative and open to lots of suggestions for resolutions on Arab League issues. For a delegation representing this small African country against powerful Middle Eastern giants such as Egypt and Syria, winning Outstanding Delegation was a wonderful accomplishment!”